Township of Lansing v. City of Lansing

The basic question in this case is whether the charter creating a metropolitan district “to furnish water and (or) sewage-disposal services to properties within or without its limits” can be regarded as a franchise to conduct a water business making use of public streets and alleys in the whole of the district described, absent any further grant of power.

The defendant-appellant city of Lansing, successor to the interests of Landel Metropolitan District, .contends that the Landel Metropolitan District charter constituted such a franchise. The plaintiff-ap-pellee township of Lansing claims the…